Field
The present specification generally relates to glass substrates for use in display devices and, more specifically, to glass substrates with strategically imprinted B-side texturing features for reducing charge generation and methods for manufacturing the same.
Technical Background
Thin glass substrates are commonly utilized in flat panel display devices such as thin-film-transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCDs). Substrates used in TFT-LCDs generally have a functional A-side surface on which the thin-film transistors are deposited and a non-functional backside or B-side surface which opposes the A-side surface. During manufacture of the TFT-LCD device, the B-side surface of the glass substrate may come into contact with conveyance and handling equipment formed from a variety of materials, including metals, ceramics, polymeric materials and the like. The friction between these dissimilar materials results in triboelectrification or contact electrification and, as a result, charge is transferred to the glass surface and accumulates on the surface of the glass substrate. As charge accumulates on the surface of the glass substrate, the surface voltage of the glass substrate also increases.
Electrostatic charging of B-side surfaces of glass substrates used in TFT-LCDs may degrade the performance of the glass substrate and/or damage the glass substrate. For example, electrostatic charging of the B-side surface may cause gate damage to the TFT devices deposited on the A-side surface of the glass substrate through dielectric breakdown. Moreover, charging of the B-side surface of the glass substrate may attract particles to the A-side surface, such as dust or other particulate debris, which may damage the glass substrate or degrade the surface quality of the glass substrate. In either circumstance, electrostatic charging of the glass substrate may decrease TFT-LCD manufacturing yields thereby increasing the overall cost of the TFT-LCD manufacturing process.
Further, frictional contact between the glass substrate and handling and/or conveyance equipment may cause the handling and conveyance equipment to wear thereby reducing the service life of the equipment. Repair or replacement of worn equipment results in process down-time, decreasing manufacturing yields and increasing the overall costs of the TFT-LCD manufacturing process.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative designs for glass substrates which mitigate the generation of charge and decrease the friction between the glass substrates and equipment utilized in the manufacture of TFT-LCD display devices.